Darley sires lead way in Book 2

The four-day Book 2 section of Tattersalls’ October Sale drew to a close on Thursday evening with a son of Shamardal topping the buoyant trade at 245,000gns. Bought by Peter & Ross Doyle Bloodstock, the March-foaled colt was sold by Gay O’Callaghan’s Yeomanstown Stud. Shamardal had three colts sell for six-figure sums and his 16 yearlings to change hands in Book 2 did so for an average of 67,125gns.

Not far behind the top lot was a Teofilo colt out of Poppets Sweetlove, a half-sister to European champion sprinter Overdose, whose 220,000gns price tag was the highest from a very successful Whatton Manor Stud consignment. He was the selection of Tony Nerses and will race for the Authorized team of Saleh Al Homaizi and Imad Al Sagar.

An Exceed And Excel half-brother to G2-winning sprinter Prime Defender was the third most expensive colt in Book 2 and will be exported to race abroad after being bought by the Hong Kong Jockey Club for 200,000gns. Nineteen yearlings by Exceed And Excel were sold during the week for an average of 53,211gns, having been conceived for a fee of £12,000. They included a colt out of the Selkirk mare Merle, who was another on the Doyle team’s list of purchases after being knocked down for 150,000gns.

Another among the top ten lots was a son of Dubawi consigned by Corduff Stud and bought for 170,000gns by John Ferguson, who also signed the ticket for a Dubawi filly out of the Listed-placed Saabiq at 155,000gns.

German trainer Manfred Hofer was the successful bidder on a racy-looking son of Iffraaj from The Castlebridge Consignment, who was knocked down for 105,000gns. Iffraaj also posted a good average for the sale at 30,976gns for 21 sold. His fee when these yearlings were conceived was €6,500.

Marco Botti, trainer of Cape Cross’s G2 Mill Reef Stakes winner Moohaajim, who was narrowly beaten by Reckless Abandon in last Saturday’s G1 Middle Park Stakes, will train another colt by the sire after paying 100,000gns for the Peter Onslow-bred colt out of G3 winner Trick Or Treat. Cape Cross also had a colt and a filly sell for 90,000gns apiece to Shadwell and Peter & Ross Doyle Bloodstock.